Retropharyngeal Penetrating Injury Causing Air Collection And Mediastinitis: Case Report, Management And Review Literature

Abstract

Pharyngeal injuries caused by trauma are common and have been reported previously in the medical literature. In some cases of a penetrating injury there is a collection of air in the retropharyngeal space that can be shown on lateral soft tissue radiography of the neck. If this condition is not diagnosed or adequately treated the patient may develop severe complications such as mediastinitis. A case is reported of a patient with penetrating injury caused by a pencil and the subsequent treatment with review literature are described.